Courage Campaign Has Simple Message For Representatives Who Sold Out Their Constituents Today: See You At The Ballot Box

CALIFORNIA -- Moments ago, Republicans in the House of Representatives passed legislation designed to rewrite the US tax code, massively reducing state and local tax deductions and eliminating the mortgage interest deduction, both of which are hugely popular in California. Experts argue that the bill would result in a net increase in taxes for 1-in-3 middle class families, all while giving massive tax breaks to some of the wealthiest American individuals and corporations.

Republicans from other high-tax states like New York and New Jersey opposed the legislation, arguing that it amounted to a massive tax hike on their constituents, but in California, the overwhelming majority of California’s Republican Congressional delegation supported the bill.

In reaction to the bill’s passage, and the votes from California Republicans, Eddie Kurtz, executive director of the California-based Courage Campaign issued the following statement:

“California’s Republican delegation in Congress walked the plank for Trump and betrayed their constituents -- voting for a tax increase on California’s middle class families, all to give massive tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and big corporations. Making matters worse, Republicans will help fund this tax cut with huge budget cuts to vital programs like education and health care and cuts to the Affordable Care Act programs that keep health insurance affordable for most American families.

“California Representatives were the key votes to getting this shameful and outrageous bill over the line. Because of that, we have a simple message to those members who sold out their constituents today: see you at the ballot box.

“California Republicans who voted for the tax cut should be ashamed. Because of their desire to give President Trump a ‘victory’ and their corporate backers massive giveaways, their constituents will face one of the most sever tax increases in the past decades, all while seeing dramatic cuts to the same social services that those taxes were designed to pay for.

“It is clear that California’s Republican Congressional delegation are bought-and-sold Washington insiders who care little about the lives of their constituents back home. We will make sure voters in these districts don’t forget this vote next November.”